May 14, 2017
A Cumberland County woman has been charged with sexual assault in the widening state probe of a child predator ring that targeted a Bucks County boy at a series of wardrobe fetish parties spanning multiple years, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced.
Paige Wren Tasker, 27, of Mechanicsburg, was taken into custody last week after investigators found evidence she allegedly performed sexual acts on the now 16-year-old victim at various points in 2015.
A state investigation revealed in January that the victim's abuse allegedly began in Bucks County in 2009, when he was sexually assaulted at "furry parties" in which several male defendants would dress up as animals and assume fictional identities while raping the 8-year-old child.
“In January, we made a promise when we first filed charges against predators that this investigation would continue as long as it takes,” Shapiro said. “The hard work of the agents and attorneys in our Child Predator Section, working closely with other law enforcement partners, led to this latest arrest. This is a deeply disturbing case, and we care about this victim and every victim of sexual abuse.”
Authorities said Tasker had a brief relationship with David Parker, one of the five men charged in the ongoing investigation. In 2015, while traveling to visit Parker in Saylorsburg, Tasker allegedly slept in the victim's bed and sexually assaulted him. This happened on more than one occasion, prosecutors said.
Tasker is charged with statutory sexual assault, corruption of minors, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and indecent assault. She remains held on $250,000 cash bail ahead of a preliminary hearing on May 22.
Earlier this month, Quakertown resident Kenneth C. Fenske, 57, was ordered held for trial over his alleged involvement in the "furry parties," where prosecutors say he dressed up as a red fox under the alias Lupine. Authorities said Fenske abused the victim, who is now receiving treatment and counseling, at his home in Quakertown.
To date, four other men have been charged:
• David Parker, 38, of Stroudsburg, Monroe County, has been charged with child rape, possession of child pornography and related charges.
• Jeffrey Harvey, 40, of West Wyoming, Luzerne County, has been charged with unlawful contact with a minor, attempted involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, attempted statutory sexual assault and related charges.
• Craig Knox, 35, of Henrico, Virginia, has been charged with child rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, unlawful contact with a minor and related charges.
• Stephen Taylor, 30, of Henrico, Virginia, has been charged with bestiality and animal cruelty. Taylor was Knox’s roommate, authorities said.
“We will work relentlessly on this investigation with our law enforcement partners until every perpetrator and child abuser has been arrested and brought to justice,” Shapiro said.
